How to create a community engagement strategy for sustainable mobility projects. Presentation for Civitas conference on Stakeholder Consultation and Citizen Engagement, Gent, Belgium, 18 & 19 November 2009.

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Nick Wates
www.nickwates.co.uk
author and consultant
Site Editor: communityplanning.net
Community Planning:
Principles, Methods & Strategies
relevant for Sustainable Mobility

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1. Present a simple framework for addressing
community involvement in planning.
2. Provide a taster of the options available –
especially those most useful for sustainable
mobility.
3. Look at how one can develop an involvement
strategy for any particular situation – including a
scenario for a public transport corridor.
4. Introduce some online resources including
communityplanning.net
This session

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Community Planning = ‘Planning carried
out with the active participation of the
end users. Similarly community
architecture, community design and so on.’
(Community Planning Handbook, 2000)
Definition

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Community Planning = ‘Planning carried
out with the active participation of the
end users. Similarly community
architecture, community design and so on.’
(Community Planning Handbook, 2000)
Definition

5. 5
 Urban Design Group
 The Prince’s Foundation
 South Bank University
 Department for International
Development
 Department of the
Environment, Transport
& the Regions
 European Commission
Humanitarian Office
Published 2000
Research

6. 6Launched 2001
Global resource

7. 72003
Universal applicability
2008

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 Principles
Apply to almost any situation. Worldwide applicability
 Methods
Huge menu of different techniques and
approaches
new ways of people interacting | new types of event | new support frameworks
 Scenarios
How one might use a combination of methods in
a particular development situation - creating an
involvement or empowerment strategy.
Community Planning framework

9. 9
 Principles
Apply to almost any situation. Worldwide applicability
 Methods
Huge menu of different techniques and
approaches
new ways of people interacting | new types of event | new support frameworks
 Scenarios
How one might use a combination of methods in
a particular development situation - creating an
involvement or empowerment strategy.
Community Planning framework

10. 10
 Principles
Apply to almost any situation. Worldwide applicability
 Methods
Huge menu of different techniques and
approaches
new ways of people interacting | new types of event | new support frameworks
 Scenarios
How one might use a combination of methods in
a particular development situation - creating an
involvement or empowerment strategy.
Community Planning framework

11. 11
 Principles
Apply to almost any situation. Worldwide applicability
 Methods
Huge menu of different techniques and
approaches
new ways of people interacting | new types of event | new support frameworks
 Scenarios
How one might use a combination of methods in
a particular development situation - creating an
involvement or empowerment strategy.
Community Planning framework

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 Analysis of good practice
guide produced by
Passenger Transport
Executive Group (PTEG),
based on dozens of case
studies.
 Principles
 Methods
 Scenarios
Research method sustainable mobility

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Universally
applicable good
practice
Principles

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Ore Valley, Hastings, UK Pakistan
People of different ages, gender, backgrounds and culture invariably have different
perspectives. Make sure a full spectrum of the community is involved. This is usually
more important than involving large numbers.
Principle: Involve all
sections
of the community

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Wherever possible, base community planning activities physically in the area being planned.
This makes it much easier for everyone to bridge the gap from concept to reality.
Wallingers Walk, Hastings, UK Kenya
Principle: Work on location

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People can participate more effectively if information is presented visually rather than in
words. Use graphics, maps, illustrations, cartoons, drawings, photomontages and models
wherever possible.
Wenceslas Square, Prague, before ……… and after
Principle: Visualise

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Use all available media to let people know what you are doing and how they
can get involved. Simple methods often work best but be imaginative - get
members of the community to help
Hulme, Manchester, UK
Principle: Communicate

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Effective participation processes take time and energy. This image is
a reminder that the costs of building the wrong thing in the wrong place
can be astronomical and make the cost of proper community
involvement insignificant. Budget generously.
Principle: Spend money

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Build local capacity
Follow up
Mixture of methods
Local ownership of the process
Plan your own process carefully
Other principles
These are just some examples.
There are over 50 on the website.

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•Clarity over status of proposals
e.g. simple maps with text in boxes
•Involve those on route and travellers
•Timescales for full consultation
•Buy space in local newspapers.
•Allow comment by different means
•Take consultation to the coalface
e.g. late night bus stops
Some mobility principles

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How do you
go about it
in practice?
Methods

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Public meetings
politicians like them but only vociferous
participate - can lead to conflict.
Questionnaires and surveys
useful for getting views of a representative
sample of the population but danger of uninformed
comment
Suggestion boxes
at point of service - at the bus stop for instance
All have their uses - but there is a constantly
expanding range of more creative approaches.
Some standard Methods

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People engaging in the issues and debate, on
their own and in an enjoyable way, by making
additions or alterations to pre-prepared exhibits.
Method: Interactive displays

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Makes it possible to secure the views of larger numbers of people than is
possible indoors. Particularly useful where the views of people using a
particular street or public space are wanted.
Method: Street stall

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A good way to help people
understand the planning
process and other people’s
viewpoints. Also an
enjoyable way to get people
working together.
- Street theatre
- Role play
- Board games
Method: Gaming

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The inspection of the environment being dealt with by mixed teams of local people
and technical experts. Used to familiarise everyone with the physical environment
and key issues at the start of a project and to review progress at intervals.
Method: Reconnaissance trip

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Simple, easy-to-
organise working
sessions where
people work in small
groups to identify key
issues and possible
solutions
Method: Briefing workshop
What is wrong?
What is
your dream?
How can
it happen?

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Method: Design workshop
Hands-on sessions allowing
small groups of professionals and
non-professionals to work creatively
together developing proposals.

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Very effective for getting
people involved. Particularly
useful for generating
interest, presenting ideas
and helping people think in
three dimensions. Lots of
different kinds.
Method: Models

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Method: Art workshop
A workshop programme in which local people
work with artists and crafts people to design -
and often construct - environmental artworks.
This can be an end in itself or part of a wider
regeneration effort.
Community arts projects are particularly useful
for helping people express their creativity (and
develop skills, a sense of identity and
community pride.)

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Method: Ideas competition
A good way of stimulating
creative thinking and
generating interest and
momentum. They can be
designed to allow everyone
a chance to put forward
their ideas.

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Method: Electronic map
The internet provides
huge scope for new
participation methods.
E.g. Allowing people
to explore an area and
make comments at
computer terminals.

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Method: Video soapbox
A slightly bizarre high
tech way of allowing
members of the public
to broadcast their
opinions about local
public open spaces on
video screens erected
in public places.

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Method: Community planning event
Carefully structured
collaborative event at which all
stakeholders, including the local
community, work closely with
specialists from all relevant
disciplines to make plans for the
future of that community or some
aspects of it.

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Introductions and briefings
Briefing workshops
issues and opportunities
Plenary session
Lunch and site walkabout
Design workshops
options and proposals
Plenary session
Next steps

Method: Planning days

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Method: Planning weekend
Thursday
Team arrivals
Saturday
Briefing workshops
Design workshops
Brainstorm dinnerFriday
Launch &
introductions
Reconnaissance
Briefings
Social event
Sunday
Team working
Monday
Team working
Public
presentation

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Presenting design ideas to the public and securing
reactions in an informal manner.
Less structured than a workshop; more interactive
than an exhibition.
Method: Open house event

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The creation or strengthening of user groups is a key element of most
community planning. They act as clients in championing the views of
those who will use the end product and keep the momentum going.
Method: User groups

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Places set up to help people
understand, and engage in,
the design of local buildings
and the built environment.
Method: Architecture and
planning centres

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Brochure with information
about project and
involvement process.
Method: Brochure with
questionnaire
Main proposals in
words and graphics.
Tear off questionnaire with
tick box AND open ended
questions. Free postage.

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“Here in Greater
Manchester we’re
fully committed to
community
involvement in
local rail services.
We want to see
the ideas turned
into practice, with
more and more
stations being
adopted by their
local community.
This toolkit is
designed to help
you do that.”
Chris Mulligan
Director General,
GMPTE
Method: Adopt a station

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An involvement
strategy for every
development
situation
Scenarios

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Scenario: Local
Neighbourhood
initiative
Local people in a rundown neighbourhood and
agencies working with them take the initiative
to speed up the regeneration process.
Process planning
session
Steering group
Co-ordinator appointed
Planning weekend
Development forum
Neighbourhood office
Review session
Development trust

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Scenario:
Derelict site
re-use
An initiative to make use of a derelict urban
site in public ownership.
Research
Public meeting or forum
Ideas competition
Development partnership
Art workshop
Open house or street stall
Implementation
Management body formed

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Scenario:
Village revival
A village community takes steps to protect theA village community takes steps to protect the
traditional character and develop new facilitiestraditional character and develop new facilities
 Community profiling
 Community planning forum
 Local design statement
 Countryside design statement
 Review session
 Project groups
 Local design statement revised

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Scenario:
Public transport
corridor
A town wants to establish aA town wants to establish a
route for a public transportroute for a public transport
quality mobility corridor andquality mobility corridor and
then get people to use it.then get people to use it.
4 Stages:
1. Overall route consultation
To firm up aims of project and
explore strategic options
2. Specific neighbourhood
consultation
To explore options for route
and detailed planning
3. During construction
To build momentum
4. In use
To monitor progress and
encourage improvements

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Scenario:
Public transport
corridor
A town wants to establish a route for a publicA town wants to establish a route for a public
transport corridor and then get people to use it.transport corridor and then get people to use it.
Publicity
Planning day for key stakeholders
Brochure with questionnaire
Planning day for key stakeholders
Open House events and Mobile unit
Formal statutory consultation
Education pack, toolkit, DVD
Launch activities
Management bodies established

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The
Community
Planning
Website
www.communityplanning.net

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www.communityplanning.net
 Google’s No 1 of over 250 million results for
‘community planning’
 Over 1,000 visitors per week
 Users from 100 countries per month
 UN-HABITAT study features site as good
practice toolkit for urban governance
 Good framework to build on
 Need partners and funding to add content on
sustainable mobility planning

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www.communityplanning.net

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For your local
situation
Plan your strategy

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Be clear what overall aim is.
Be aware of principles.
Piece together a sequence
of methods to achieve the aim.
Involve community in creating
this strategy.
Plan your strategy

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Strategy planner download
Download all three versions of the Strategy
Planner from the Toolbox forms section:
http://www.communityplanning.net/useful/forms.php
Plan your strategy
resources on www.communityplanning.net
1. Have a quick look at the Sample
2. Print out the Blank and spend 10 minutes
brainstorming and rapidly completing it for your
chosen example.
3. Use the Template to work up your strategy in
more detail.

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Plan your strategy
resources on www.communityplanning.net
Process planning session
You can also learn how to hold a workshop with
key stakeholders to devise a community planning
strategy
1. Go to the Methods A - Z section
2. Select Process planning session
http://www.communityplanning.net/methods/process_planning_session.php

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Methods Menu
Explore the vast menu of methods available in the
Methods A - Z section
http://www.communityplanning.net/methods/methods.php
Plan your strategy
resources on www.communityplanning.net
and browse the rest of the site to see
what others have done and are doing.

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Engagement strategy the key.
Summing up
Ever-expanding menu of
methods to suit aims and resources.
Huge potential of internet.
Planning for sustainable mobility
requires knowledge of particularly
appropriate principles and methods.
Build on previous work by many
people and groups all over the world.

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Follow up
nick@nickwates.co.uk
info@communityplanning.net